Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani continues to progress toward his return to the pitching mound.
After spending the first six seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani signed a ten-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason. The Dodgers have benefitted from Ohtani’s signing, already winning the 2024 World Series, and they haven’t even had the two-way superstar put his pitching skills on display for them yet.
Ohtani is the best two-way player in Major League Baseball but could not pitch in the 2024 season while recovering from surgery on his right elbow in September 2023. That didn’t stop him from leaving his mark, as he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award and slashed .310/.390/.646 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases.
The Dodgers received good news as The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reported that Ohtani is expected to throw his first bullpen this weekend.
“Shohei Ohtani said he’s expecting to throw his first bullpen this weekend,” Ardaya wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Has been throwing all his pitches — including, as of today, his sweeper — on flat ground.”
As we near the 2025 MLB season, players are already beginning to show up for spring training. The first exhibition game will be held on February 20. Ohtani throwing his first bullpen is a big milestone, as it marks the first time he’s taken the mound since the 2023 season.
Across his career pitching, Ohtani touts a 3.01 ERA and a 3.5 K/BB ratio. He is a three-time MVP who has been in contention for a Cy Young Award before. The Dodgers already boast one of the best starting rotations in the league, but adding Ohtani’s arm will take them to a whole new level.
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